


Missing the Mark

by MagiKatFish



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, M/M, the yabusame AU I've been obsessing over for too long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-06-08 13:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6857011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagiKatFish/pseuds/MagiKatFish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Takumi looked up suddenly and Leo noted the tawny shade of the prince’s eyes. There was a long moment of silence in which the two stared at each other, and Leo found himself hoping that the moment never faded so that the Hoshidan prince could remain nothing more than a memory in Leo’s mind, a distant and inaccessible figure that Leo could appreciate from a detached distance. But then Prince Takumi opened his mouth and with three words shattered all of that and more. “Who are you?”</p><p>On a diplomatic visit to the neighboring kingdom of Hoshido, Leo finds himself captivated by the young Hoshidan prince and the mysterious tradition he performs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Leo sighed and shifted in his saddle. The late summer sun beat down ruthlessly overhead, and his heavy black clothing only made it worse. He could feel the slick sweat against his skin and cringed. His horse, adorned in its black ceremonial armor, was even more so soaked with sweat from the unbearable heat, and its neck had started to droop with exhaustion from the long journey. Leo leaned down to pat its neck, partially as an absentminded gesture of comfort but also as an attempt to keep it awake, and the horse snorted through its nose as if in acknowledgement. He glanced around at the rest of the royal entourage and saw the weariness and discomfort echoed in the expressions of the others as well. Xander had assured them that they would be arriving shortly, but it felt like it had been hours since then, and still there was no end in sight. 

Leo, despite his displeasure, had to admit that he understood Xander’s rationale for such an elaborate entourage. As a newly crowned king, Xander had deemed it necessary to personally acquaint himself with the king of Hoshido, the neighboring nation to Nohr. The king of Hoshido was newly coronated as well, and while relations between the two kingdoms had weakened throughout the course of previous reigns, the two young kings had decided that reviving relations would be beneficial for both of them. Their journey to Hoshido, while certainly one of amicable intent, was also a chance for Nohr to demonstrate that they were not to be trifled with. Consequently, it had become an affair for the entire royal family, and Leo knew it would be useless to protest when it came to a decision made by his older brother. Still, it did not mean he had to enjoy himself.

“Leo! You look really grumpy, is something wrong?”

Leo’s younger sister Elise appeared beside him astride her own elaborately adorned horse. Leo could only imagine how hot she was under all the layers of ruffles on her dress, but nevertheless she was still smiling happily at him, as if the temperature did not bother her in the slightest.

“It’s nothing, Elise,” Leo forced a smile to his face to appease her. “Just thinking, I suppose.”

“You always do that,” Elise huffed and frowned.

“Do what?”

“That!” Elise pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You act like I can’t tell when you’re smiling for real or not.”

“I don’t—”

“Oh my! You two aren’t fighting, are you?” A sudden gust blew warm air into Leo’s face as Camilla steered her wyvern to land next to the two of them. She was smiling serenely, but Leo could see the challenging glint in her eyes.

“We weren’t fighting,” Leo replied quickly. He saw Elise open her mouth to protest, but Camilla shot her a sharp glance that effectively silenced the younger princess.

“Now is no time for bickering,” Camilla chided both of them. “Xander expects us all to make a good impression. We can’t have Hoshido thinking the royal family is anything less than picturesque.”

Leo held his tongue and nodded stiffly at her words. He wanted to ask her how much of that was Xander speaking as opposed to her own personal fantasy, but that would guarantee a fight with his older sister that he did not want to be responsible for starting. Camilla’s smile widened and she ruffled his hair before steering her wyvern back into the sky. Elise muttered something next to him before she too fell back into formation. Up ahead, at the front of the entourage, Leo could see Xander, his back facing them and his posture straight as ever atop his own horse. He was every part the picturesque king, and Leo had every intention of upholding that image, no matter the consequence, if it meant Xander would continue to acknowledge him as a worthy brother. 

“Everyone!” Xander’s powerful voice called back to the entourage, and instantly everyone sat slightly straighter in their saddles. “We have arrived.”

The capital city of Hoshido blended seamlessly into the countryside. Hidden behind an outcropping of forest trees, the walls that wrapped around the city appeared suddenly before the entourage and loomed above them. A guard posted at the gate noticed their arrival and, clearly having been previously informed of their arrival, opened the gate to let them pass. Xander nodded at the guard in acknowledgement as they passed, and then the city stretched before them. The roads were lined neatly by buildings on both sides and the city residents parted to let them through, bowing as they passed. Leo noted that they all seemed well prepared for the spectacle Xander had arranged, which meant that the king of Hoshido had expected nothing less than a grand arrival from them. Leo had yet to ascertain whether it was a sign of respect or a test. He glanced at Xander’s back, but his brother’s posture gave nothing away. 

They made their way through the city’s central market, attracting quite a crowd of spectators as they went. Leo could hear them whispering amongst themselves, and in response he held his head slightly higher. He could hear Elise calling out friendly greetings to the crowd from behind him. Their procession through town came to a halt when they arrived outside the entrance to the grounds of the royal castle. There was a man standing at the entrance in Hoshidan ceremonial wartime armor, his arms folded in front of him, his gaze leveled at Xander. His behavior, as well as the excited murmuring of the crowd, left no doubt in Leo’s mind that this was the Hoshidan king.

“King Ryoma of Hoshido,” Xander bowed his head respectfully in greeting to the king.

“King Xander of Nohr,” King Ryoma replied with a bow of his own. “Welcome. Your entourage must be tired from a long day of travel. Allow my servants to tend to your horses.”

“Many thanks,” Xander answered evenly.

King Ryoma waved his hand, and the castle servants emerged and approached the entourage. A nervous maid with wide eyes approached Leo and opened her mouth to speak, no doubt to offer her service, but Leo had already dismounted and handed her the reins to his horse without a word. The maid hastily bowed and followed the rest of the servants, who led the horses past the gate and onto the castle grounds to the stables. Leo had to refrain from snickering when he noticed a rather terrified servant trying to wrangle with Camilla’s wyvern as Camilla herself stood off to the side watching him in amusement. It was not until Xander glanced at her that she stopped smiling and offered to lead her wyvern herself, which the embarrassed servant thanked her for and apologized profusely with a deep bow. She winked at Xander and waved a quick farewell. 

“If you would follow me,” Ryoma addressed them, “we’ve arranged a small demonstration as part of the welcoming ceremony.”

“Certainly,” Xander replied and fell into stride next to the Hoshidan king. Leo and Elise fell in next to each other and followed behind them.

The castle grounds were extensive and well-tended. Not only was it lush with greenery, but the facilities were in pristine condition as well. They passed by a sandy arena which Leo assumed served as some kind of sparring grounds, as well as the stables where Leo could see the servants feeding the horses and diligently removing the heavy ceremonial adornments. All the while, Xander and Ryoma exchanged pleasantries, which Leo thankfully refrained from partaking in.

“My siblings will be joining us for the demonstration shortly,” Ryoma said as they walked. “There are four of us, including myself, and I believe we are more or less the same in age.”

“I look forward to meeting them,” Xander replied with a polite smile. “I’m sure my siblings feel the same.”

Ryoma nodded, “Indeed. I hope to get along well.”

“As do I.”

“Me too!” Elise exclaimed suddenly, causing the conversation to come to a halt as all heads turned to her. She smiled somewhat bashfully and shied away.

Xander opened his mouth quickly, no doubt in order to apologize for Elise’s behavior, but before he could speak, Ryoma smiled and chuckled pleasantly. “Thank you, Princess Elise. I’m glad you feel the same.”

Elise beamed from the comment and giggled. Leo glanced away and was overwhelmed by a sudden yearning to be free of the stifling social obligation his situation found him in. He’d rather be alone, studying or practicing his magic, not trying to curry the favor of a foreign nation. Besides, his other siblings seemed to have it managed, so surely there was no need for him. 

“Here we are,” Ryoma declared as they rounded the side of the castle. Leo took in the sight and begrudgingly had to admit he was impressed. The sight of dozens of Hoshidan soldiers dressed in traditional attire greeted them. Some of them held swords, others held yumi, and still others held magic fans and other weapons Leo had only read about but never seen in person. An arena had been set up and marked in the earth, and in the distance Leo spotted several archery targets. There were several performers of various descriptions as well, all dressed elegantly in formal attire. All in all, it was a straightforward setup, with one exception. A long stretch of the field had been roped off, and lining the narrow track was a series of three small targets hung from the branches of the nearby trees. Leo had never seen nor read of such a thing before, and it piqued his curiosity.

“Whoa! This is so cool!” Elise gasped as she took in the sights.

“I’m glad you like it,” Ryoma said. “These are the finest warriors and performers Hoshido has to offer. Shall we begin?”

The demonstration was nothing short of artful. There was no doubt the Hoshidan warriors were well trained, and the solemnity with which they treated their tasks bordered on piety. The performers, on the other hand, were so enthusiastic that Leo could not help but enjoy himself, if only a little bit. Elise was practically bouncing on her heels next to him, and every so often she would grab his hand and point at one of the dancers and Leo would agree with whatever Elise said about them. The archers were halfway through their demonstration when Leo’s attention was drawn back to his company.

“Brother!”

A young girl dressed in a soft pink robe approached the group and smiled nervously. Next to her was another young woman with shockingly red hair who was grinning at Ryoma with a lax posture despite her regal dress.

“Sakura! Hinoka!” King Ryoma exclaimed, and ushered them closer. “King Xander, these are my two sisters.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Xander said with a formal bow. The younger girl, Sakura, blushed and inched closer to Hinoka, who replied promptly with her own bow that Sakura joined belatedly.

“Nice to meet you,” Leo bowed curtly.

“Hello!” Elise greeted them enthusiastically, and even went so far as to grab Sakura’s hands. “Wow, your dress is so pretty!”

“T-Thanks,” Sakura mumbled nervously, but nevertheless a pleased smile tugged at her lips. Leo should have known Elise would make fast friends with the Hoshidans.

“Do all of you Nohrians ride those crazy wyverns? One of the servants nearly had his head bitten off by one until your sister intervened,” Hinoka asked Xander with a degree of bluntness that astounded Leo. He cringed and glanced at Xander out of the corner of his eye, wondering how he would respond.

“Hinoka—!” King Ryoma gasped.

Xander held up a placating hand. “I understand your surprise, and I do apologize if Camilla and her mount caused such distress. Not all of us do, we mostly use horses, but some of us prefer wyverns, and flight is sometimes more convenient than traveling by land.”

Hinoka nodded. “That makes sense. Just like us with Pegasi, I guess.”

Leo was distracted from the conversation by the sound of the audience around them clapping loudly. The performers had finished their dance and were retreating from the field, leaving an eerie quiet in their wake. 

“Takumi should be up next,” Sakura mumbled quietly.

King Ryoma confirmed with a nod and turned to Xander. “Indeed. Takumi is our younger brother. He’s the most skilled archer in Hoshido, and his performance is at the center of this demonstration.”

Leo turned his attention to the field as a large white horse was being led out onto the field. The horse was decorated with brilliant red, from the intricately sewn saddle pads to the adorning tassels. Perched atop the traditional wooden saddle was a young man wearing a white gown tied by a thick red belt. A fur-lined hide covered his legs, and his feet, clad in leather boots, rested comfortably in the stirrups. His hair was long and silver and tied back with a red ribbon in a long ponytail. His woven headgear shielded his eyes from the soon-setting sun and shadowed his solemn face. He held a long yumi in his hand, and three arrows sat in a quiver behind him. A sword rested in a sheath by his waist. A servant guided the horse to the roped off track on the field as Leo stared, fixated, at the Hoshidan prince.

“This is an ancient tradition in Hoshido,” King Ryoma explained. “It’s a ritual of sorts, to pray to the gods for good health, luck, and harvest. Takumi has been training for years to receive the honor of performing it.”

“Fascinating,” Xander commented, gaze also fixed on Takumi, whose horse was finally in position at the beginning of the track. The servant released the reins and backed away, leaving Takumi alone.

Leo swore he heard King Ryoma mutter a prayer under his breath as Takumi’s horse spurred into action. In the blink of an eye, the horse began to gallop at full speed down the track, with the Hoshidan prince using nothing but his legs to balance on top of it. He reached for an arrow as he approached the first target, and in one fluid, graceful motion, he notched the arrow and released. With a loud whistle, the arrow pierced right through the center of the target and it fell to the ground, where two servants went to retrieve it. Prince Takumi barely spared it another glance, as the second target was already fast approaching. He reached for another arrow, and once again it found its target. Leo heard Sakura’s breath catch in her chest, and Hinoka held on tightly to her sister’s other hand. The Hoshidan prince only had one target left, and he deftly grabbed his last remaining arrow, steady and calm despite the thundering hooves of his galloping horse. Leo was mesmerized by the look of concentration on the prince’s face. His expression was still, calm and calculating as he drew his bow and aimed at the last target. Another loud whistle, and the third target came crashing down to the ground. The horse reached the end of the track and Prince Takumi grabbed the reins to bring it to a quick halt. Then four men dressed in intricate robes approached him and offered out a silk white cloth to him, which was draped across his shoulder. With a solemn bow of his head, the Hoshidan prince led his horse off the field to the sound of loud applause. Then, he was gone. Leo wondered if he had imagined the relieved sigh that escaped Hinoka’s lips.

“That was flawless,” Xander told Ryoma. “He certainly is worthy of the praise he has received.”

Ryoma smiled. “Certainly.”

A pair of servants approached Ryoma, one of them carrying a fallen target and the other carrying the arrow that had pierced it. They bowed deeply in respect and offered the items out in front of them.

“These are gifts for you, King Xander,” Ryoma informed them. “It is believed that these items bring great fortune, so as a sign of my hopes for the future, I would like for you to take them, in the hopes that you and your people may prosper.”

Xander accepted the offerings and the servants retreated. “I thank you sincerely for this gesture, King Ryoma. My hopes are the same, for the future and your people as well.”

The two kings grasped hands and shook firmly. Leo, Elise, Sakura, and Hinoka all exchanged polite bows, although Elise also gave the two princesses a hug as well. Leo shifted on his feet and looked away.

“Forgive me, but I must take my leave now. Allow my servants to show you to your quarters,” Ryoma said afterwards. “If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.”

The same nervous maid who had taken Leo’s horse earlier in the day appeared and ushered them towards the castle. Their quarters were all located next to each other on the same hall of the castle, so Leo swiftly bid goodnight to his siblings and closed the door to his room with a breath of relief. He was exhausted, not just from the heat and the long day of travel, but from the strenuous formal interactions as well. His belongings had already been brought up to his room, so he had only to undress, carefully taking apart his formal attire and placing it on top of the wardrobe. He removed the band from atop his head and ran his fingers through his hair. An image came to mind of the long silver hair of the young prince of Hoshido, and Leo’s mood lightened somewhat. Prince Takumi’s performance had been stunning, and Leo recalled the expression on the prince’s face when he was concentrating on his task. Leo had many reservations about visiting Hoshido, but he could tell from Prince Takumi’s performance that the young Hoshidan noble was of a different disposition than the others. Prince Takumi was calm and collected, and Leo held onto the faintest of hopes that perhaps he could find an amicable companion in the respectable young prince. He retired to bed with these hopes lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been looking forward to this story for a really long time, and now that I'm not so busy I finally found the time to work on it more! I can't promise I'll be super fast in updating, but I'll try my best ^^


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Leo was roused awake by the sound of knocking at his door. He slowly climbed out of bed and opened the door to find Elise smiling up at him. She slipped into the room before Leo could ask what she was doing and hopped up onto his bed, swinging her legs and humming a cheery tune.

“Morning, brother!”

“Good morning Elise,” Leo replied as he stifled a yawn.

“Xander wants us to join King Ryoma and his siblings for lunch today,” Elise told him, and Leo’s stomach flipped uncomfortably. 

“Sure,” Leo answered, although he knew neither Elise nor Xander were seeking his approval of the decision. “When is it?”

“In a couple hours,” Elise said as she sprung to her feet once more. “I need to find Camilla and let her know too. Bye Leo!”

Leo watched Elise sprint down the corridor in search of Camilla and sighed when she was out of sight. It was going to be a long visit. With that thought in mind, Leo changed into a simple, loose-fitting tunic and left his room in search of one of the castle servants in order to inquire about the location of the library. He was kindly pointed in the right direction by a passing maid, who assured him that the library selection was simply superb. He hoped, mostly for his own sake, that her statement was indeed true, because there was only so much social obligation Leo was willing to tolerate before it became too much, and reading was his preferred solace. 

The library was on the second floor of the west wing of the castle, a fair walk away from Leo’s quarters but not unbearably so. The room itself was bright, with angled windows that allowed the most sunlight to filter through and bathe everything in a warm glow. Rows upon rows of bookshelves extended back into the depths of the room, and every so often a chair or two would come into view next to one of the many large windows. What really impressed Leo, however, was the selection of texts he found upon the shelves. There were dozens of books on history, philosophy, and culture, some of which he recognized but many of which he had never heard of before. Whoever had stocked the library clearly had excellent taste, Leo thought with a pleased smirk as he pulled one of the books off the shelf and set off in search of a comfortable chair somewhere deep in the room where no one would find him unless he wanted to be found. 

Unfortunately, Leo’s longing for privacy was dashed when he turned the corner of a shelf and spotted another person standing there with a book in hand as well. Said person was engrossed in whatever was written on the book’s pages, but there was no mistaking the long, tied back silver hair. Leo’s mind stuttered to a halt and his steps immediately ceased, so he was left staring in surprise at the young prince of Hoshido that had occupied most of his thoughts last night. 

Prince Takumi looked up suddenly and Leo noted the tawny shade of the prince’s eyes. There was a long moment of silence in which the two stared at each other, and Leo found himself hoping that the moment never faded so that the Hoshidan prince could remain nothing more than a memory in Leo’s mind, a distant and inaccessible figure that Leo could appreciate from a detached distance. But then Prince Takumi opened his mouth and with three words shattered all of that and more. “Who are you?”

It was the severity of Prince Takumi’s tone that Leo responded to first. Perhaps if he had noticed how Takumi had narrowed his eyes when they encountered each other, then he would not have been so startled by the blatant suspicion directed at him, but nonetheless Leo kept himself composed and responded with a polite bow. “Prince Leo of Nohr,” Leo answered with measured caution, “Your performance yesterday was admirable, Prince Takumi.”

Far from welcoming the praise, the Hoshidan prince scowled. He closed the book in his hands with a sharp snap and approached Leo with a disapproving glance over his figure. “It’s a sacred ritual, not some simple street show. I’m no entertainer.”

Leo’s grip tightened around the book in his own hands and he clenched his jaw to prevent an outraged retort from escaping his lips. Instead, he thought about how Xander would respond. He forced a smile to his face and said, “Regardless, I thought—”

“Listen,” Prince Takumi interrupted him, “I know my brother invited you here to build friendship between our two countries, but that has nothing to do with you and me pretending to get along with each other. I’m not interested in making friends with you.”

Leo replied before he could stop himself. “I understand perfectly. My apologies for antagonizing your patience, little prince. It’s clear we wouldn’t get along anyways.”

Leo saw the spark of an enraged fire catch in Prince Takumi’s eyes, and he allowed himself to feel the slightest satisfaction from getting under the Hoshidan’s skin. He did not get quite the rise out of Prince Takumi as he had been hoping for, but still he could practically feel the way the Hoshidan prince bristled at his words. In the end, however, Prince Takumi merely scoffed and said, “Perfect.”

Leo was forced to take a step back as Prince Takumi pushed past him and left the library, making no attempt to mask the annoyance in his steps. However, Leo’s satisfaction at Prince Takumi’s irritation was dampened by the disappointment bubbling in his chest. Far from the cool and respectable image Leo had crafted for the younger Hoshidan prince, the real one was the exact opposite, completely contemptable in every perceivable aspect. Some twisted part of him jeered at this and reminded him that no matter how insufferable Prince Takumi actually was, there was still a part of his mind that held onto the memory of Takumi astride a white horse, taking Leo’s breath away. Leo scowled and pushed the thought from his mind. So much for an amicable companion, he thought bitterly as he settled down into one of the seats near a sunny window. He no longer felt much like reading. 

Instead of reading, Leo ended up spending much of his time in the library staring out the window, his head resting in his hand. He nearly dozed off a couple times, and the warmth of the room did nothing to aid his drowsiness. His previous frustration had long since faded away, to be replaced with what Leo could only describe as regret. He regretted trying to provoke Prince Takumi. He regretted his poor choice of words. But most of all, he regretted how he had allowed himself to hope that perhaps they could have been friends. Xander would have known what to say to win Prince Takumi to his side. Camilla would have wormed her way into the Hoshidan’s heart. Elise would have won him over just by smiling and being herself, like she always did. Leo had only managed to make an enemy. What was it about himself that had made such an encounter a cruel inevitability? Why had he even needed to come to Hoshido, if this was the result of his presence?

Eventually it was time for lunch, and Leo knew without question that Xander would expect him to attend, regardless of how unwelcome he was. So, he rose from his seat and slowly made his way through the shelves to return his book that had remained unopened before he set off for the castle dining hall. When he arrived, all of his siblings were already there. They smiled at him in greeting, except Xander who simply nodded in acknowledgement, but Leo was too preoccupied by the others present in the room to take much notice. King Ryoma was there, of course, as was Hinoka and Sakura, but Leo was stuck staring at Prince Takumi, who stood next to Ryoma with his arms crossed, gaze fixed on Xander. Leo saw Prince Takumi’s eyes flicker to him for a brief moment, but there was no change in the young prince’s expression, as if he had already forgotten about their encounter merely hours before. Leo was unsure whether to feel relieved or indignant about it. Mostly he just felt empty. 

“Please make yourselves comfortable,” King Ryoma told them and gestured towards the table, which had been set with fine china and a wide array of various Hoshidan dishes that Leo was unfamiliar with. Somewhat hesitantly, he made his way to the table and took a seat on the edge, with Camilla to his right. Elise sat on Camilla’s other side, and Xander beyond Elise, and across from the table the Hoshidan royal family took their own seats. Leo wondered dully if it was simply coincidence that Prince Takumi sat as far away from him as possible. He doubted it.

Leo had held many reservations about lunch. Originally, he had fretted about maintaining images and contributing to conversation. Then, he worried about the hostility he had attracted from Prince Takumi. Now, however, he had encountered an unexpected problem. 

It was miniscule, really, and he feel childish for getting so bothered by it, but Hoshidan utensils completely baffled him. He had no idea how to eat with them, save for the surreptitious glances he spared across the table to observe how the Hoshidans used them. Xander, naturally, used them like he had been born in Hoshido. Elise was struggling, but both Sakura and Camilla had joined together in a joint effort to coach her. Leo stared at the back of Camilla’s head as his older sister helped Elise hold the utensils in her hands and he wondered why he continued to feel so surprised whenever something like this happened. Camilla had never been fond of doting on him like she had with Elise. All Leo could do was watch and try to copy what everyone else was doing, and he burned with shame whenever his hand slipped, or he dropped a piece of food back onto his plate. However, if anyone was watching him, they never said anything. 

As their appetites diminished the conversation naturally shifted to political talk, but Leo could hardly bring himself to listen. He found himself casting his gaze across the table often, where it settled on the face of the young Hoshidan prince. He appeared completely absorbed in the conversation, and never spared a glance in Leo’s direction, or anyone from Nohr who was not Xander for that matter. It started to hurt less the more Leo was reminded of Prince Takumi’s words, but nonetheless Leo was still relieved when King Ryoma finally stood and dismissed the meal. Leo was determined to retire to his room for the rest of the day, but it seemed Xander had other ideas. He was waiting outside the door as Leo exited, and stopped Leo in his tracks as everyone else disappeared down the corridor. Leo glanced up at Xander but could gleam nothing from Xander’s passive expression.

“Is something the matter, brother?” Leo asked with as much indifference as he could muster.

Xander shook his head. “I could ask the same of you. You were very quiet.”

Leo grimaced. “I thought you were managing the conversation just fine. There was nothing I found necessary to contribute.”

Xander frowned, clearly unconvinced. “After seeing how well Elise and Sakura got along, I was hoping you and Prince Takumi could do the same. He was very earnest and respectable when I spoke to him. It would serve both our kingdoms well for our two families to be on friendly terms, I think.”

“I see,” Leo replied curtly. “For Nohr’s sake, I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Leo,” Xander sighed.

“I understand, Xander. Think no more on it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.”

Xander stared at Leo for one long moment, and Leo thought he might protest. In the end, however, he merely stepped aside and said, “Very well.”

Leo walked briskly down the corridor and only slowed down when he could no longer feel Xander’s gaze on his back. Xander clearly had not believed him, but Leo had been unable to think of anything to say that would justify denying Xander’s request. How could he admit that the Hoshidan prince hated him? How was he supposed to disappoint Xander, and ruin his vision for the future of relations between Nohr and Hoshido? It was simply out of the question to admit to Xander that he could not complete this simple task. Leo arrived to his quarters completely exhausted, and he glared in frustration at the sunlight that filtered into his room. It had only been a day, but he was already sick of Hoshido.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angry pineapple rears his head, poor Leo. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as we proceed ever closer to disaster #1 ^^


	3. Chapter 3

“Leo, dear, would you help me with something?” Camilla approached him one day during the mid-afternoon while Xander was meeting with some of the more influential Hoshidan nobles. Leo was in his room reading and had informed the servants that he was not to be disturbed. He should have known that such instructions were futile against her.

“Can you not get Elise to help you?” Leo replied rather bluntly before returning his gaze to the book in his hands. He heard her sigh, but her approaching footsteps indicated that she had yet to be deterred. Leo had not expected it to work anyways.

“I don’t know where she is,” Camilla admitted. “She’s quite the busy one recently. You, however, are terribly predictable.”

Leo scoffed.

“Anyways, Leo, will you help?” Camilla asked once again.

Leo rolled his eyes, but nonetheless he still set down his book and finally looked up to properly meet Camilla’s eyes. “What do you need help with?”

Camilla smiled warmly at him. “Corrin is causing a bit of a fuss again.”

Leo heaved an exasperated sigh as he got to his feet and followed Camilla out of his room. “You spoil that thing too much.”

Camilla chuckled but said nothing to refute Leo’s accusation. She had always been strangely attached to the creature. Even when they were children, Camilla had always gotten along better with the wyverns than the horses the rest of her family learned to ride. She had doted so much on her draconic mount that they had jokingly adopted it as one of their own siblings, until one of their caretakers had grown so alarmed over the supposed existence of their mysterious “sister” that their father had told them to stop. Camilla still loved it equally all the same. Most of the time Leo did not mind, but it still hurt that Camilla was quicker to defend Corrin from Xander’s criticisms than she was to defend him, her brother of flesh and blood. 

As they neared the stables, Leo could hear the sound of enraged, desperate screeching. He followed Camilla around the back of the building and found Corrin there, securely tied by a thick rope to a nearby fence, which was beginning to bend at an alarming angle as Corrin thrashed around. A couple servants were trying to subdue the creature, though they were mostly preoccupied avoiding the creature’s barbed tail. It was painfully clear that Hoshidans were not trained in how to deal with wyverns. When they spotted Leo and Camilla, relief flooded their expressions and they backed away to allow the Nohrians room.

“Could you untie her, Leo? I would hate for her to get hurt,” Camilla asked him with a frown.

The knot was a simple quick release, which Leo swiftly undid and held tight to the rope as Corrin continued to pull. Meanwhile, Camilla approached Corrin and stood close to her neck, where her barbed tail could not reach. She ran a hand against the wyvern’s neck and cooed at it, whispering comforting words. Corrin twisted her neck and tried to bite, but Camilla kept herself just out of reach as she continued her attempts to soothe the angry creature. At one point, Corrin reared up on her hind legs and flapped her wings, nearly toppling Leo with the sheer power of its lithe muscles, but he still held tight to the rope, forcing Corrin back to the ground.

“I think I found the problem,” Camilla declared after a few more moments of Corrin’s desperate struggling. “Poor thing, she’s been cooped up for too long. Her wings are so stiff.”

“Take her for some exercise then,” Leo suggested somewhat impatiently. His arms were aching from holding onto the straining rope for so long, and he was beginning to tire of being a spectacle for the attendants at the barn. 

Camilla pet Corrin’s neck and frowned. “Unfortunately, Xander forbid it on the grounds of not wanting to scare the Hoshidans, unfamiliar with wyverns as they are.”

“Somehow I doubt the soundness of that logic,” Leo replied with a glance in the direction of the terrified servants watching them. Camilla followed his line of sight and chuckled.

“Perhaps you are correct. Still, if Xander were to hear anything about it…”

Leo did not fail to miss the tone in Camilla’s voice, or the pointed look she was giving him out of the corner of her eye. With the faintest of smiles, he shrugged and said, “I think I’ll return to my book.”

“Thank you, Leo.”

Leo handed the rope to Camilla and turned away, intent on returning to the castle. The servants were wise enough to avoid saying anything as he passed them, and when he was about to round the corner of the stables he felt a strong gust of wind against his neck as a shadow flew past overhead. Leo was sure that Corrin was not the only one feeling cooped up because of their visit. He was sure Camilla was just as frustrated; she had never taken to politics. Not that Leo had either, but only so much of the royal family could afford to be so flippant about it. Still, he found he could not truly resent Camilla for it.

The sudden sound of thundering hooves alerted Leo to the imminent arrival of someone on horseback, and he could only hope that it was not Xander. He could deal with anyone that was not Xander, even King Ryouma if need be. However, when the approaching horse came into view and Leo realized that were two people atop it instead of one, he almost regretted thinking anything at all, especially considering who the two were.

The first was Elise, her two long pigtails bouncing as her horse slowed from a hasty gallop to a loping canter. Her eyes were wide but her mouth was set in a determined frown as she curled her fingers tightly in her horse’s mane. Leo knew that Elise had yet to be able to comfortably ride her horse at a gallop, and if her expression was anything to go by, she was still scared of going too fast, even if she was determined to try. When she saw Leo, she smiled and turned to her companion to say something. It felt like a hot stone had dropped in Leo’s stomach.

Prince Takumi was with her. His arms were wrapped around Elise on either side, securing her in place in the saddle as he held the reins and steered her horse towards the barn, where Leo was standing. When Elise spoke to him, Prince Takumi replied briefly, his expression remaining indifferent, though as Leo continued to watch him, Prince Takumi eventually glanced up at him and the two held each other’s gaze for a long moment before Takumi finally broke it with a frown. When Takumi and Elise arrived, Elise squirmed out of Takumi’s arms and jumped to the ground to run up to Leo and tackle him in a tight hug around his waist.

“Brother!”

“Elise,” Leo returned the hug, his eyes still fixed on Takumi, who dismounted shortly after and was watching the two of them carefully. “What are you doing here?”

Elise pulled away from the hug and answered, “One of the servants told Prince Takumi that a dragon was going wild at the barn, and I thought Corrin might be upset again.”

“You weren’t bothering Prince Takumi, were you?” Leo asked somewhat sharply.

“No! He was helping me with some riding practice on Lady,” Elise huffed.

“You could have asked me if you wanted some lessons,” Leo told Elise. He could hardly help the edge of hurt and incredulity that seeped into his words. Elise looked down at her shoes and traced figures in the dirt.

“You always help though,” Elise mumbled. “I thought you would like it if I asked Prince Takumi, since you were impressed with his performance before. Besides, Xander wanted us to make friends…”

Leo grimaced. Elise was not at fault for any of this. She had merely wanted to please Xander and learn from someone she thought Leo respected, and here Leo was getting upset over it. He could not fault Elise for seeking out Prince Takumi’s companionship over his own, and neither could he fault her for succeeding where he had failed in gaining Prince Takumi’s favor. No matter what, he could not take out his frustrations at his own shortcomings on Elise. So, Leo smiled and pat Elise on the head.

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Leo praised her.

Without batting an eyelash Elise asked, “Where is Camilla going?”

Leo paused. Behind Elise’s back, he could see Prince Takumi watching him through narrowed eyes. No doubt, the Hoshidan prince was suspicious of their motives, and with a twinge of resentment Leo realized that no matter what explanation he offered, Takumi would consider it false regardless. He wondered, once again, what he had done to be the sole recipient of the Hoshidan’s animosity.

“Corrin was getting too restless, so Camilla went to stretch her wings and give her some exercise.”

“Oh, all right!” Elise chirped. She turned and reached out to climb back onto her horse.

“Elise,” Leo called, “if you see Xander, don’t tell him, ok? He wouldn’t be happy about it.”

Elise’s mouth formed a small “o” and she nodded quickly to show she understood. Then she clambered back onto Lady and took up the reins, looking expectantly at Takumi to join her. He shook his head and waved her off. Leo had a distinctly bad feeling about this. 

When Elise rode off, Takumi turned to Leo and raised his brow. “Are all Nohrians in the habit of keeping secrets from their king?”

“Hardly,” Leo snapped before he could stop himself. Takumi seemed to have that kind of effect on him. “Are all Hoshidans this insatiably nosy?”

Takumi scoffed. “When confronted with treacherous Nohrians, I believe the correct word is prudent.”

“Or paranoid,” Leo countered quickly. Takumi scowled.

“You are despicably arrogant.”

“And you are insufferably childish.”

“Don’t think you can get away with whatever scheme you may have,” Takumi hissed through gritted teeth.

Leo brushed past Prince Takumi, enraged and exhausted by the confrontation. It was just his luck that in the short time he had left his room he would run into the one person in Hoshido who hated him the most. He was beginning to regret his decision to help Camilla.

“Prince Takumi,” Leo spat out a farewell as he left.

“Prince Leo.” 

The hostility was returned tenfold in Takumi’s voice, and that was fine with Leo. He returned to his quarters, where the servants wisely left him alone upon noticing his foul mood. He realized somewhat belatedly that it would not do well for Prince Takumi to inform King Ryoma, or even Xander for that matter, about his suspicions, but there was little he could do to prevent that. Takumi would never have agreed to keep a secret if asked by someone like Leo. In fact, asking for the Hoshidan’s discretion would have most likely caused Takumi to be further inclined to inform either of the two kings. All Leo could do was hope that Takumi would do no such thing, but when he thought about the sheer magnitude of contempt in the prince’s eyes when they regarded each other, his chances seemed rather slim. Leo could practically see the disappointed look on Xander’s face already. 

Leo spent the rest of the afternoon anticipating Xander’s distinctive, sharp knock at his door. Still, as the seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes stretched to hours, Leo was beginning to wonder if maybe, for some inconceivable reason, Prince Takumi had said nothing. Camilla had certainly returned by now as well, as the sun was sinking low in the sky and she would never fly recklessly at night. 

Rather than feeling relieved, however, Leo felt wary. Perhaps Prince Takumi believed that because he remained silent, Leo was somehow indebted to him. There are countless ways Takumi could use this against him, and Leo begrudgingly admitted to himself that he would have little choice but to comply with Takumi’s demands, lest he lose both Camilla and Xander’s trust. He was furious at the Hoshidan prince for placing him in this position, but mostly he was furious at himself. He was too careless. Xander would have done better.

Leo was compelled to leave his quarters during the evening in order to stretch his legs and clear his thoughts. He had spent the vast majority of the afternoon consumed by worry and frustration, so he thought the distraction would do him well. He also intended to visit Camilla’s quarters and ensure that she had returned safely and without any further trouble. 

Deciding he would rather visit Camilla sooner rather than later, he set out down the corridors to her room. Unfortunately for Leo, there was already someone outside her room, and that person happened to be Xander. Leo seriously debated whether or not to turn and leave before Xander could notice him, but the king’s gaze was exceptionally sharp, and he spotted Leo almost immediately. He waved Leo over, and Leo had no choice but to comply and hope that the frown on Xander’s face had nothing to do with him.

“Good evening Leo,” Xander greeted him. His tone gave nothing away.

“Good evening,” Leo replied carefully. Normally, he would have inquired as to what Xander was doing, but he was reluctant to hear an explanation for fear that it would not end well. Unfortunately, Xander was not going to give him the choice.

“Have you seen Camilla?”

Leo frowned. There was reason for him to be relieved—namely the fact that Xander remained none the wiser to Camilla’s secret outing—but his more immediate response was one of concern. Had Camilla not returned yet? Leo found it difficult to believe that Camilla would remain away for so long, especially if she wanted to keep her excursion a secret from Xander. Perhaps she was somewhere else on the castle grounds, engaged in conversation with King Ryoma or one of his siblings, or maybe she was still by the stables spending time with Corrin. Leo tried to shake the feeling of dread that gripped him like a vice and answered Xander as steadily as he could.

“No, I haven’t,” Leo said, “I was just coming to find her myself.”

Not entirely a lie. Xander sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. As Leo observed Xander more closely, he began to notice the exhaustion in his brother’s eyes. It was subtle, practically unnoticeable, but Leo had grown up with Xander and he could tell when the shadows under his brother’s eyes were even the slightest shade darker than usual. Leo was sure that dealing with the Hoshidan nobility was no easy feat, but still he was surprised to see his usually stoic and untouchable brother suffering from something so profoundly human. 

“This isn’t entirely unlike her,” Leo offered. He was trying to reassure Xander, but when he thought about, the words were also to reassure himself. Guilt was beginning to gnaw at him.

“I suppose you’re right,” Xander replied. “Thank you, Leo. Perhaps I have been overreacting somewhat.”

Leo managed to smile, though it came out as little more than a poorly disguised grimace. “Happy to help, brother. I’ll let you know if I see her.”

Xander nodded in acknowledgement before he strode off, probably to retire to his own quarters for the night. Leo watched him leave and only when he was alone in the corridor did he run a hand down his face and groan. He just wanted to be through with this ordeal, because keeping secrets from Xander was far too stressful to be healthy. Leo wanted to believe that Camilla was simply somewhere else on the castle grounds, and that she was not in fact lost, injured, or in any kind of trouble. He wanted to believe his sister was fine, because he knew she could take care of herself, more so than most people, but if she was not then he was the only one who knew where she had gone, and her safety was entirely reliant upon his judgement. 

Leo returned to his quarters more stressed than he had been when he left, but there was little he could do to remedy the situation other than cling desperately to the hope that Camilla was all right and that she would return shortly. He decided that he would refrain from taking action until tomorrow, if she was not back in the morning. The idea of informing Xander what had happened filled him with dread and a burning sense of shame, but he had no other choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I think I just have a thing for writing scenes of Leo and Takumi bickering...? If you were wondering where Corrin was... Here's your answer xD 
> 
> On a different note, thank you very much to all you lovely people that have read or left feedback, I really appreciate all of it and it honestly makes my day <3 I hope you continue to enjoy! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

Leo awoke during the early hours of dawn and slipped out of bed. As quietly as he could, he made his way to the door and crept out into the dim corridor, empty of servants for the time being, although that was sure to change soon. Leo hastened down the corridor and halted in front of the door to Camilla’s quarters. He paused for a moment to listen, but he could hear nothing but his own breathing. Hoping that perhaps Camilla was asleep inside, Leo knocked lightly on the door, still listening for any sign that would tell him his sister had returned safely. Still nothing.

“Camilla,” He hissed with more urgency, knocking again, louder.

Leo’s heart sank as the silence on the other side of the door persisted. It was a foolish hope, Leo was forced to acknowledge with a pang of bitterness, to believe that Camilla would have returned during the night. It would be nothing short of idiocy to continue with his course of inaction, although the returning sense of dread in his stomach argued otherwise. He ceased such thoughts with gritted teeth; it would not do to dwell on such sentiments. He needed to inform Xander of what had happened. 

“Leo.”

And there Xander was, standing before him in the corridor, eyeing him with restrained curiosity, or perhaps suspicion. Leo tried not to picture the look of disappointment that was soon to don Xander’s expression as he faced his older brother.

“Were you looking for Camilla?” Xander asked.

Leo nodded hesitantly, “Yes.”

“So she has yet to return, I presume,” Xander concluded.

“It would seem so,” Leo replied evenly. “Brother, I—”

“Where could she possibly have gone? Such unbecoming behavior, and while we’re on an important diplomatic visit no less…”

“Actually, brother, about that—”

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, and a rather breathless maid rounded the corner, gasping for air as she ran up to them. Xander turned away from Leo and watched the maid patiently as she caught her breath.

“King Xander, sir, a visitor has just arrived who claims to know you. He wishes to speak with you,” The maid reported quickly.

“A visitor?” Xander questioned, perplexed. “Who?”

“He said his name was Iago, sir,” The maid answered.

“Iago?” Leo echoed the name in surprise.

“What is Iago doing here?” Xander wondered out loud. Then he turned to the maid and commanded, “Take us to him.”

The maid bowed and hurried off down the corridor, back the way she came. Leo accompanied Xander as they followed the maid through the castle to the main entrance where guests were received. Standing near the doorway in the company of two Hoshidan guards was a tall, thin man with a narrow face and pale complexion. His sleek black hair fell to his shoulders and a thin smile curled his lips when he noticed Xander and Leo’s arrival.

“Iago,” Xander greeted him sharply. “What are you doing here?”

That thin smile remained on Iago’s face as he bowed deeply and said, “Your Highness, and Prince Leo as well. I sincerely hope I find you both well.”

“I put you in charge of managing Nohr’s affairs in my absence,” Xander continued without acknowledging Iago’s greeting. “Why are you here?”

“Of course, Your Highness, I understand your concerns,” Iago straightened up, grinning wider, “but I assure you I would not have dared leave Nohr had the situation not called for it.”

“And that situation is?” Xander pressed, his own lips pressed into a tight frown. 

“Well, you see,” Iago swept his arms out to both sides in a demonstrative gesture, “I think it would be wise to discuss such sensitive issues away from wayward ears, if I may be so bold as to suggest so.”

Xander folded his arms and there was a tense moment when he and Iago held each other’s steady gaze before Xander finally sighed and conceded, “Very well, Iago. We shall discuss this elsewhere. Leo,” Xander turned to him, “if you would kindly inform King Ryoma that—”

“King Ryoma is already aware,” One of the guards spoke up, and when Xander’s gaze fell on him he gulped and quickly added, “Your Highness. He will be down momentarily.”

Xander nodded, and then with a sharp wave of his hand Iago stepped forward and followed Xander out of the main entrance, leaving Leo behind to watch them go.

Leo could not help but feel unsettled as Xander and Iago disappeared from his sight. Iago had been a loyal advisor to the royal family since the time of their father’s rule, and yet despite such loyalty Leo had never taken to the man. Iago was a man of a rather distasteful disposition, known to propose many a plan lacking in humanitarianism, so although Iago had put forth several plans for the overall benefit of Nohr, Leo was left to doubt the sincerity behind the man’s honeyed words. However, Xander had been the one to extend to Iago an invitation to remain as an advisor when their father passed away as thanks for his dedicated service, so Leo had so far kept such adverse opinions to himself. 

“Prince Leo.”

King Ryoma entered the room punctually, taking swift strides to where Leo stood. There was an urgency in his movements and a sharpness behind his frown that cautioned Leo that now was not a time to trifle with the King of Hoshido. He got the feeling that the Hoshidans had experience with uninvited guests, and judging by the stiff and alert way the guards and even the king carried themselves, it had probably not been a positive one. Unfortunately, Leo realized, this also placed him in the position of having to answer to an unhappy foreign king.

“Good morning,” Leo bowed respectfully to King Ryoma.

King Ryoma nodded in return and continued, “King Xander has a visitor?”

“Yes,” Leo collected his thoughts and replied, “He is one of Nohr’s advisors. He has supposedly come with urgent news that required a private audience with my brother.”

King Ryoma stared at him. “Supposedly?”

Leo felt his skin heat up at his slip of the tongue and hastily corrected himself. “I simply meant that I have yet to hear the news myself, so I cannot properly judge such a matter.”

“I see,” King Ryoma hummed thoughtfully.

King Ryoma seemed satisfied by Leo’s explanation, and Leo allowed himself a deep, calming breath. His mistake was embarrassing, but as far as he could determine it was not fatal. Hopefully King Ryoma would think nothing of it. 

The doors to the room were suddenly thrown open, drawing Leo’s attention to the arrival of Princess Hinoka. Behind her, Princess Sakura entered in tow, her hand clasped tightly with Princess Hinoka’s, although she was still somewhat hidden behind the elder princess’s shoulders. They marched up to King Ryoma—well, Princess Hinoka did; Princess Sakura simply allowed herself to be pulled along—and eyed Leo with poorly concealed suspicion.

“What’s this about a visitor, brother?” Princess Hinoka demanded.

“Calm yourself, Hinoka. He is an advisor to King Xander,” King Ryoma answered calmly. “There is no cause for concern.”

“You sure about that?” Princess Hinoka mumbled with a scowl, but nonetheless she backed away from her brother and released Princess Sakura’s hand. 

Leo glanced between the three Hoshidan siblings and wondered if perhaps he was not meant to have heard Princess Hinoka’s words. There was clearly some sensitive history behind the Hoshidan’s response to Iago’s arrival. Leo would have to remember to inform Xander about it later, if only to avoid further antagonizing the issue in the future. 

“Ryoma! What is this I hear about someone showing up—?”

The final member of the Hoshidan royal family entered the room in a similarly agitated manner, although Leo figured the young prince was agitated most of the time anyways. Prince Takumi approached his brother, demanding answers which King Ryoma provided with the same placating manner he had used to soothe Princess Hinoka. Prince Takumi, however, was not so easily appeased. 

“I knew this would happen! Ryoma, you cannot seriously allow this—this treachery to occur while we sit here with our thumbs up our—!”

“That’s enough, Takumi,” King Ryoma cut off his brother’s outcry. The two glared at each other, but then Prince Takumi glanced at Leo out of the corner of his eye and finally broke eye contact with his brother. With a low grumble, he stepped back to stand next to Princess Sakura, and Leo noticed how the young princess subtly reached out to take Prince Takumi’s hand. She rubbed comforting circles against the prince’s palm with her thumb, forcing Leo to look away as a sharp pang of jealousy pierced his heart. Camilla had not held his hand like that in years. 

When Xander finally returned, Leo was immensely relieved. The pressure exerting from the Hoshidan royal family was practically crushing him, so Xander was a welcome diversion to get their attention away from him. Iago entered closely behind Xander, that small smile still twisting his face. Whatever he and Xander had discussed, Iago was clearly pleased with the outcome.

“King Ryoma, please forgive me for this unbecoming behavior. It is an offense to your generous hospitality,” Xander offered with a bow.

King Ryoma raised one hand in a placating gesture. “It cannot be helped. I heard from Prince Leo that it was an urgent matter.”

Xander spared a glance in Leo’s direction before he spoke. “That is correct. Matters have arisen back in Nohr that demand my attention, so we may have to end our visit early. My sincerest apologies.”

“Think nothing of it,” King Ryoma shook his head and allowed himself a brief grin. “I can sympathize with your position.”

“Your Highness,” Iago interrupted, “we should prepare to depart shortly. Shall I inform Lady Elise and Lady Camilla?”

Silence settled over the room when Xander did not immediately respond. A sudden wave of panic swept over Leo and he could have sworn that for a moment his heart had stopped beating. This was not how he wanted to tell Xander about Camilla's disappearance, in front of the entire Hoshidan royal family as if to make a mockery of the dignity of Nohr's king. He should have acted sooner. 

"Lady Camilla is missing at the present moment," Xander finally replied. Out of the corner of his eye, Leo caught Prince Takumi staring at him. Leo was not sure if he could bear the cocky smirk that was sure to follow soon. 

Iago's smile melted away almost instantly. "Missing?"

"I was unable to find her last evening or this morning," Xander explained. 

"And you don't know where she has gone?" Iago pressed intently despite the frown and clear displeasure on Xander's face.

"No," Xander answered sharply. 

"Forgive me, Your Highness," Iago ducked his head to avoid the brunt of Xander's gaze, "I only ask because, truthfully, I was afraid this might happen."

Xander's entire body tensed at Iago's confession. Somewhat urgently, he stepped closer to Iago and questioned, "Afraid? What do you mean?"

"I had something of a premonition. If you recall, I have had them on occasion before," Iago replied carefully, as if measuring each word. "In it, I beheld that Lady Camilla would face a threat related to Hoshido."

Leo stared in horror at Iago. If the advisor's words were true, then that meant that Camilla's endangerment was a direct result of his irresponsibility. His choice to defy Xander's orders placed Camilla in harm's way, and it was his fault. He even kept it a secret from Xander, thinking he was doing something good for a change, doing something helpful for his older sister, but instead it led to this.

"And yet you held your tongue on the matter?" Xander scowled.

Iago grimaced. "I was unsure how accurate it was, and I did not want to unnecessarily burden such an important diplomatic trip. I am truly sorry, Your Highness."

Xander ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. Somehow, he managed to school his expression into a calmer one, although his voice remained somewhat clipped when he asked, "Do you have any idea what such trouble may have befallen her?"

"Your Highness, this is hardly the time or place to divulge such things. Perhaps it would be best if—"

Xander cut him off. "Speak."

Iago's eyebrows raised a fraction of a degree in surprise. "Very well, if that is what you wish. I did have somewhat of an idea. I would humbly ask the Hoshidan royal family if they have interacted with Lady Camilla recently?"

"What is the meaning of this?" King Ryoma finally spoke up in outrage, not failing to detect the hint of an accusation in Iago's words. "Are you suggesting we are to blame for Lady Camilla's disappearance?"

"Iago, is that your intention?" Xander questioned the advisor with renewed intensity.

"...Yes, Your Highness. In my vision, I gathered it to be a likely scenario that the Hoshidans took her."

Xander turned quickly to King Ryoma. "Do you know anything about this?"

"That's a lie!" Prince Takumi shouted before King Ryoma could even speak a word. "We would never do something like that! If you want to know what happened, why don't you ask your quiet prince who's so content to watch all of this unfold!"

"Leo? Do you know something?"

Suddenly all eyes were on him. Leo's thoughts raced, trying to come up with some kind of explanation, anything that would spare him the look of disbelief on Xander's face. Nothing came to mind.

"Yes, Xander, I do," Leo finally answered. He kept his gaze fixed solely on his brother. "King Ryoma and Hoshido have nothing to do with this. Last evening, I lied to you. Camilla left that afternoon to take Corrin for a flight, but she has yet to return."

"Impossible!" Iago exclaimed, "In my vision, I very clearly saw that—"

"It's the truth," Leo asserted firmly. "Forgive me for not telling you sooner, Xander."

Xander glanced between Leo and Iago. Leo could see the conflict in Xander's eyes. He could either choose to believe that one of his most trusted advisors was lying or that his own brother was. Either way, the ramifications were unpleasant. Leo knew he would have to do something to fix the situation he had created.

"Xander, please, allow me a few days to go and find Camilla. Then you can see for yourself who to believe."

"Leo," Xander began with a warning tone, but Leo remained firm. Eventually, Xander sighed, and his muscles collapsed as the tension left his body. "Very well. You have five days. If you return without her, I will be forced to consider... Other possibilities."

"I understand, brother," Leo acknowledged.

"King Ryoma," Xander continued, "you will have to forgive me for this."

King Ryoma nodded before he leveled Leo with a steady gaze. "I hope you find your sister."

With that, King Ryoma announced that the makeshift gathering was dismissed. Leo, unable to meet anyone's eyes, left immediately for his room to gather the necessary belongings he would need for the trip. Five days was not nearly enough time to search all of Hoshido and possibly Nohr's territory, and Leo suspected that Xander knew that. He also knew that Xander was aware that Corrin could only fly so far within the amount of time Camilla had been gone for. Corrin could only fly with Camilla on her back for a couple hours at most before she would need to rest, and Camilla would not risk Corrin's safety by flying recklessly during the night, so that greatly reduced the radius Leo would need to search in. It was still a lot of land to cover, especially without a wyvern of his own, but it was possible, if only just. 

Leo gathered a bag and packed a few necessary items, including an old magic tome. He was not anticipating a fight, but it was better to be safe, especially if he was to happen upon any of the bandits who liked to frequent the less-traveled roads. He wanted to travel as light as possible to avoid tiring out his horse too much, so he added only a small pouch of gold and a spare change of clothes before he left for the stables. Xander had no doubt ordered one of the servants to prepare his horse, because the servants were waiting for him outside the stables with his horse already prepared for the journey. She pawed impatiently at the ground, clearly upset at having been cooped up for so long in a stall. Someone else was waiting for him as well.

Prince Takumi waited until Leo approached before he smirked without any mirth in his eyes. Leo, however, had no patience for the young prince's attitude.

"Do you need something from me, little prince?" Leo asked dully.

Prince Takumi shook his head and chuckled coldly. "Of course not. I'm just here to make sure you can't go through with whatever you're planning."

"Excuse me?" Leo arched one eyebrow, unamused.

"Play clueless if you want, but I don't trust you or that advisor of yours. I'm here to keep an eye on you."

"So you're going to follow me around?" Leo scoffed.

"Whatever it takes," Prince Takumi replied, crossing his arms.

Leo rolled his eyes. "You're wasting your time."

Prince Takumi merely shrugged and said, "We'll see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha sorry this is much later than I was planning on posting... At any rate though, I hope you enjoyed reading! ^^ Maybe one day the angry pineapple will calm down huh.


	5. Chapter 5

When Leo mounted his horse to leave, he thought that maybe Prince Takumi would back down. Then, when Prince Takumi mounted a horse of his own, Leo spurred his horse to a swift gallop, thinking that perhaps Prince Takumi would give up then too. And when Prince Takumi galloped after him, matching Leo's own horse stride for stride, Leo thought that surely Prince Takumi would give up when they traveled too far from the safety of the Hoshidan capital. But Prince Takumi never gave up. He neither slowed down nor turned back, and Leo would have been impressed if it wasn't so excruciatingly annoying. The young Hoshidan prince would achieve nothing with his boorish stubbornness—nothing but the apparent pleasure of testing Leo's patience, that is. 

"Surely you didn't expect to lose me that easily?" Prince Takumi taunted when Leo was finally forced to slow down to give his horse some time to rest.

Leo grit his teeth. He wished desperately that he could hold his tongue, reply with a simple remark or just ignore the Hoshidan's presence entirely. He wished he had the discipline of Xander to handle the situation calmly, but something about Prince Takumi grated at Leo's nerves, and he found the whole situation so unbearable it physically ached. He wished he could deal with everything like Xander, but Leo knew he was not his older brother. He could tolerate such blatant disrespect no longer.

"Are you incapable of civil conversation?" Leo growled. 

"There's no need for it with people like you," Prince Takumi replied dismissively. Leo itched to wipe the arrogant smirk off the Hoshidan's face.

"You are the most irritating and incorrigible little prince I have ever had the displeasure of meeting," Leo seethed with every bit of venom in his voice he could muster. "It's a wonder none of your siblings haven't tried to abandon you yet, sorry excuse for royalty as you are."

Leo wanted to hurt with those words. He wanted to argue with Prince Takumi, he wanted to fight and tear the arrogant young prince down. He had expected Prince Takumi to respond angrily, with biting words of his own, but instead the Hoshidan's face flickered. If Leo didn't know any better, he would have thought that Prince Takumi looked genuinely wounded. The moment hardly lasted, though, as Prince Takumi's expression returned to his usual mistrustful frown as he scoffed.

"Say what you will, but I will not allow you to harm my kingdom."

Leo sighed in frustration and decided that any further conversation was doomed to failure. He pulled his gaze away from the Hoshidan and tried to think of something else, anything else really, to get his mind off the dreaded thought of having to put up with his unwanted traveling companion for the next five days. 

Leo thought about Xander. He had given Leo his permission to go and find Camilla, but Leo still burned with shame when he thought about how he had let his older brother down. He had placed Xander in a precarious position with the Hoshidans and King Ryoma, and he feared that the accusations and suspicions that now tainted their visit would become irreparable damage to the relations between the two kingdoms. Leo thought about Elise, and how he had dragged her down into keeping secrets from their brother. Elise had been making friends with the Hoshidan royal family, but now, due to him, friendship was a fading impossibility and he had forced his innocent young sister into a world of loneliness like his. And, of course, Leo thought about Camilla, whose very life could be at risk because of a careless and foolish choice he made. A sorry excuse for Nohrian royalty he was, Leo thought bitterly.

The Hoshidan countryside was beautiful with its lush green fields and sunny skies without a cloud in sight. They passed by the farming fields of several small villages as Leo retraced the steps their entourage had taken to get to Hoshido. He figured that if Camilla was going to fly anywhere, she would have taken a route she was familiar with in order to avoid getting lost, so this road was his best bet to find her. Without the heavy black formal attire he had worn during the entourage’s journey the sunlight was not as harsh, but Leo was still uncomfortable in such unfamiliar weather and yearned to rest in the shade somewhere to cool down and rest. Unfortunately, he had very little time to spare for his own comfort. Finding Camilla was far more important. 

Prince Takumi had fallen uncharacteristically silent as they travelled. Leo had been expecting more jabs, more snide remarks, more voiced suspicions. Instead, Prince Takumi hardly spared Leo a glance in his direction, and Leo decided that he would never be able to understand the Hoshidan prince. When he believed they could get along, Prince Takumi had inexplicably hated him, yet when Leo anticipated Prince Takumi’s hatred, the young prince acted like Leo hardly existed. It was almost more painful than consistent hatred, because at least then Leo would know for sure how Prince Takumi would treat him and could act accordingly. Still, Leo hardly understood himself better. When Prince Takumi spoke to him, Leo wished for nothing more than silence, but when he got what he wanted he could hardly stand it. Prince Takumi made him too restless for his own good.

Eventually, as dusk settled upon the landscape, they reached the outskirts of a small town. Leo wanted to keep searching through the night, but he knew it would be a useless endeavor. Besides, the horses were tired after a long day of traveling and needed to rest. So, Leo slowed to a halt just outside town and dismounted his horse. His stiff legs ached and he nearly stumbled when his feet hit the ground, but luckily Prince Takumi was too busy dismounting his own horse to notice. The last thing Leo wanted to do was give the Hoshidan prince more opportunities to criticize him. 

“There should be an inn somewhere in town,” Prince Takumi broke his long silence to inform Leo.

“I’ll go look for it. Look after the horses until I return.” 

Leo grabbed his bag, handed his horse’s reins to Prince Takumi, and left as quickly as possible. He hated to admit it, but the Hoshidan’s presence was getting to him. Hopefully this way he could at least get a few minutes to himself. 

The town was quiet as Leo passed through in search of the inn. The streets were empty, and Leo would have thought the town had been abandoned if not for the faint flickering of fires he saw through the windows of the dingy houses. Leo tried not to be too suspicious of the deserted streets, but it did not bode well. His once leisurely steps hastened to find the inn before the sun sank completely from the sky.  
He found what he was looking for near the town’s center. The building was hardly impressive, not much larger than the houses that surrounded it and certainly not very clean, but it would serve its purpose. Leo approached the door and, somewhat unsure of what to do, knocked. He listened for the sound of voices or footsteps, but there was nothing. 

Leo frowned and knocked again. “Is anyone in there?”

“Who is it?” A voice squeaked from behind the door.

“I am a traveler wishing to stay the night,” Leo replied somewhat cautiously. This was strange behavior for an innkeeper.

The door finally opened, revealing the nervous face of a young woman. She took in Leo with one quick glance before something in her features loosened and she let out a breath.

“Sorry about that,” She apologized and pushed the door open wide. “How can I help you?”

“This is an inn, is it not? My… companion and I have been traveling all day and need a place to stay tonight,” Leo said as his gaze drifted past the young woman and into the inn, which was just as strangely quiet as the rest of the town. At the woman’s look of surprise, Leo quirked an eyebrow and asked, “Is that a strange request?”

The woman quickly shook her head and said, “No, it’s not that, it’s just that we haven’t had many visitors recently. What with all the thefts going on around here, most people have been staying as far away as possible…”

“Thefts?” Leo echoed.

The woman nodded her head, eyeing Leo curiously. “It’s become too dangerous for most travelers recently. Most know to stay away from here at night. Is your companion nearby, by any chance?”

Leo’s eyes widened a fraction. The woman must have noticed the chance in his expression, because she looked at him with something akin to pity. “You should go find your companion before nightfall,” She urged, “You’re welcome to stay here.”

“Thank you,” Leo bowed his head slightly. The young woman shrugged and closed the door as Leo turned on his heel to hurry back through town. With a growing sense of urgency, Leo rushed back to find Prince Takumi and usher him somewhere safer. Not that he would personally mind if the young prince came to harm from a band of thieves, but Leo feared that Hoshido might hold him, and by extension all of Nohr, responsible for any harm that might befall their young prince. Leo could not do that to his kingdom. Not to Xander.

When Leo heard shouts on the outskirts of town, he started to run. They never should have stopped at this town. Leo fumbled in his bag for the dusty old magic tome he had packed and pulled it out, feeling the magic course through his fingers, reacting to his nervous energy. He could see the dark silhouettes of the horses now, and one of them reared as the shouting grew louder. Leo could just barely make out the figures of five people. One was lying on the ground, but three of the others were beginning to close in on the fifth figure, who was no doubt Prince Takumi, bow tight in hand, though it was mostly useless considering how close the attackers were. Leo’s blood boiled as the magic from the tome gathered in his free hand, a bright glowing red against the dark sky.

One of the three attacking figures raised a sword into the air behind Prince Takumi’s back, and Leo chose that moment to reveal himself and cast a spell. A blazing ball of fire collided into the attacker and knocked him to the ground in a singing heap. Prince Takumi stared in surprise at the second collapsed figure on the ground before he noticed Leo’s arrival and his mouth pressed into a tight frown. Leo barely noticed, too busy setting fire to one of the remaining two attackers with another fireball. It missed, but it was still enough to halt the unknown combatants in their steps. Realizing that they no longer held the advantage of numbers, they backed up and turned to retreat, leaving their two fallen allies behind. Leo wanted to pursue them, but he knew that chasing them into the night would be far too foolish to be justifiable. Instead, he turned to Prince Takumi, who was staring at him with clear displeasure on his face. Leo’s fear instantly gave way to a fresh wave of irritation.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” Leo said pointedly.

Prince Takumi narrowed his eyes and glared at Leo. “I didn’t need your help.”

Leo scowled. “I saved your life!”

“I would rather die than be saved by you,” Prince Takumi hissed.

“I’ll gladly keep that in mind the next time you nearly get yourself killed,” Leo spat and grabbed his horse’s reins with too much force. Whatever concern he previously held for the Hoshidan’s life had long since faded.

Without a word, Leo stalked off back into town, hoping desperately that Prince Takumi would not follow him. But, of course, he shortly heard a second pair of hooves clattering against the ground and knew that he would have no such luck. It seemed that for the foreseeable future, Prince Takumi would remain an inescapable thorn in his side. Leo scowled once again when he felt something akin to resignation settle upon him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another long overdue update! Sorry I'm a bit slow... ^^ But let me just tell you, the sheer amount of foreshadowing in this chapter is ridiculous... Hope you enjoy!


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